Central West Western Plains Rural Report, Tuesday August 20, 2013

Graziers are being warned that seasonal conditions are ripe for cases of phalaris staggers in sheep and cattle.

Lachlan Livestock Health and Pest Authority Chief Vet, Liz Braddon says she is seeing reports of staggers from various parts of her area and stock-owners need to be on top of the issue before it becomes a bigger problem.

Ms Braddon says the condition causes neurological damage to livestock, including tremors, leg weakness, falling over and a vigorous struggle to get up again; and in many cases results in the euthanasia of the animal.

She says however there is a 'silver bullet' for the condition.

"We know that giving sheep two intra-rumenal cobalt bullets will prevent cobalt staggers for two to three years.

"If you have predominantly phalaris-based pastures that you need to graze between June and September, or you've seen phalaris staggers in the past, then it would be a sound management option to use the cobalt bullets."

Garlic revivial in Australia

Sarina Locke

Australian garlic producers have been, like many horticulturalists, battling low priced foreign imports.

Now the industry says it's on the verge of staging a comeback.

Since 2005 when cheap Chinese garlic started to flood the market, the value of the local industry halved.

Now the growth in demand for home grown garlic at farmers markets, and in supermarkets, has seen a resurgence.

Leon Trembath is chairman of the Australia Garlic Industry Association, which is holding a conference in Orange for garlic growers on 6th and 7th September; he is upbeat about the demand for the local product.

A poem that lingers

Murray Hartin

In 2007, when things were pretty ordinary for many rural Australians, comic poet Murray Hartin found himself writing a poem that was a bit different from his other work.

For a bloke who is better known for describing a ringer 'riding' a swag the length of a jetliner during a very bumpy ride, or descriptions of tenuous relationship with the Mr Whippy Man; the topic of depression and suicide is a big departure from the norm.

The poem, which Hartin says was written in a couple of hours and 'just came to him' describes the despair and suicidal thoughts of a young farmer who then receives a timely letter from his father.

Hartin's poem 'Rain from Nowhere' was taken up as a call to arms by communities who wanted to keep depressed landholders from slipping into despair, Murray Hartin found himself enlisted as one of the educational entertainers invited to farm family gatherings.

Now, seven years on, it seems the poem is as popular as ever and not just in the bush.

Murray Hartin says 'Rain from Nowhere' brings the same response in urban crowds.

"It's not just a drought poem; it's a about hardship - hardship and relationships."

Livestock markets

Market reports this morning from Dubbo sheep and lamb sale and the Forbes cattle sale.

Commodities

Wheat futures:

September wheat has fallen ..2 of a cents to 641.2 centsDecember wheat is currently issting at 653.4 cents

Canola:

November Canola has risen $17.20 to $517.80 CanadianJanuary Canola has risen $16.80 to %532.20 Canadian.

Cotton:

The October contract has fallen .64 of a cent to 92.76 centsThe December has fallen .64 of a cent to 92.68 cents